H6833 H6833
bird, sparrow — a small bird or any bird generically; used in ritual purification and as a figure of freedom
Tsippor is a feminine noun for a bird, especially a small passerine or sparrow, occurring 40 times. Its onomatopoeic quality — evoking the twittering sound of small birds — sets it apart from the more general 'of ('fowl'). The Levitical purification ritual for skin disease requires 'two living clean birds' (tsipporim, Lev 14:4-7, 49-53): one is slaughtered over running water, the other dipped in the blood and released alive, a vivid image of death-to-life cleansing. As a figure of freedom and vulnerability, the tsippor wanders from its nest (Prov 27:8), escapes from the fowler's snare (Ps 124:7), and watches alone on a rooftop (Ps 102:7). The psalmist envies the sparrow that finds a home near God's altars (Ps 84:3). In Ecclesiastes, the 'voice of the bird' awakens the aged (Eccl 12:4). Spanish distinguishes 'ave' (bird) from 'pajaro' (sparrow), while French 'oiseau' and German 'Vogel' use a single generic term.
Senses
1. [split] bird, small bird, sparrow — A bird in general or specifically a small bird / sparrow, used across three main domains: (1) the Levitical purification rite, where two tsipporim figure in the cleansing of skin disease and contaminated houses (Lev 14:4-7, 49-53) — one killed, one released alive; (2) proverbial imagery of freedom and vulnerability — the bird fleeing its nest (Prov 27:8), escaping the snare (Ps 124:7), perching alone in grief (Ps 102:7), or finding sanctuary near God's altar (Ps 84:3); (3) general zoological reference as 'every winged bird' (kol-tsippor kanaf, Deut 4:17; 14:11). The Noahic narrative includes tsippor among the creatures entering the ark (Gen 7:14). The onomatopoeic root ts-p-r evokes chirping, linking the word to its referent acoustically. 0×
AR["الْعُصْفُورَ", "الْعُصْفُورِ", "طائِرٌ", "طَيْرٍ", "عُصْفُورٍ", "كَ-عُصفور", "كَالطَّائِرِ", "كَالعُصفورِ", "كَعُصْفُورٍ", "هَ-صِّفُّور"]·ben["-পাখির-মতো", "পাখি", "পাখির", "পাখির-মত", "পাখির-মতো", "পাখির-মতো-", "সেই-পাখি", "সেই-পাখির", "সেই-পাখির-মতো"]·DE["Vogel", "[הצפור]", "[כצפור]", "[צפור]", "der-Vogel", "wie-ein-Vogel"]·EN["a-bird", "bird", "bird-of", "like-a-bird", "the-bird"]·FR["[כצפור]", "comme-oiseau", "le-oiseau", "oiseau"]·heb["ה-ציפור", "ה-צפור", "ה-צפר", "כ-ציפור", "ציפוֹר", "ציפור"]·HI["और-को", "चिड़िया", "चिड़िया-की-तरह", "चिड़िया-के", "पंछी", "पक्षी", "पक्षी-की-तरह", "पक्षी-के-समान"]·ID["Burung", "burung", "seperti-burung"]·IT["[כצפור]", "[צפור]", "come-il-uccello", "il-uccello", "uccello"]·jav["kados-peksi", "kadosdéné-peksi;", "manuk", "peksi"]·KO["같으니라-새에", "새", "새-가", "새-같이", "새-그의", "새-처럼", "새가", "새를", "새의"]·PT["a-ave", "ave", "ave-de-", "como-pássaro", "como-pássaro?", "o-pássaro", "pássaro"]·RU["как-на-птицу", "как-птица", "как-с-птицей", "птица", "птица-", "птицу", "птицы", "птицы,"]·ES["ave", "como-ave", "como-pájaro", "el-pájaro"]·SW["Ndege", "kama-ndege", "ndege"]·TR["her", "kusun", "kuş", "kuş-gibi", "kuşu", "kuşun"]·urd["جیسا-پرندہ", "پرندہ", "پرندے", "پرندے-کی-طرح", "چڑیا", "چڑیا-کی", "چڑیے", "چڑیے-کے"]
1. sparrow / small bird (proverbial) — Split from sense 130507. Criteria: Proverbial and natural-history contexts: freedom, vulnerability, sanctuary (Ps 84:3, 102:7, 124:7; Prov 27:8) 15×
AR["العُصْفُورُ", "طائِرٌ", "عُصْفُورٍ", "عُصْفُورَةً", "كَ-العُصْفُورِ", "كَ-عُصفور", "كَ-عُصْفُورٍ", "كَالطَّائِرِ", "كَالعُصفورِ", "كَعُصْفُورٍ", "كَـ-طُيُورٍ", "وَ-كَعُصْفُورٍ", "وِ-كَ-صِّفُّورِيم"]·ben["-পাখির-মতো", "এবং-পাখিদের-মতো", "ও--এর-মতো-পাখি", "চড়ুই", "চড়ুইর-মতো", "পাখি", "পাখিদের-মতো", "পাখির", "পাখির-মত", "পাখির-মতো", "পাখির-মতো-", "সেই-পাখির-মতো"]·DE["Vogel", "[וכצפור]", "[וכצפרים]", "[כצפור]", "[כצפרים]", "[צפור]", "ein-Vogel", "wie-ein-Vogel"]·EN["Like-birds", "a-bird", "a-sparrow", "and-like-a-bird", "and-like-the-birds", "bird", "like-a-bird", "like-a-sparrow"]·FR["[כצפור]", "[כצפרים]", "comme-oiseau", "et-oiseau", "oiseau"]·heb["ו-כ-ציפור", "ו-כ-ציפורים", "כ-ציפור", "כ-ציפורים", "ציפוֹר", "ציפור"]·HI["और-चिड़िया-की-तरह", "और-पक्षियों-के-समान", "चिड़िया", "चिड़िया-की-तरह", "जैसे-चिड़िया", "जैसे-पक्षी", "पक्षी-का", "पक्षी-की-तरह", "पक्षी-के-समान"]·ID["Seperti-burung", "Seperti-burung-burung", "Seperti-burung-pipit", "burung", "burung-pipit", "dan-seperti-burung", "dan-seperti-burung-burung", "seperti-burung"]·IT["[כצפור]", "[כצפרים]", "[צפור]", "come-il-uccello", "come-uccello", "e-come-il-uccello", "e-come-uccello", "uccello"]·jav["kados-manuk", "kados-peksi", "kadosdéné-peksi;", "lan-kados-manuk", "lan-kados-peksi", "manuk", "peksi", "peksi-sriti"]·KO["~처럼-새가", "같으니라-새에", "같이-새", "같이-새들", "그리고-같이-새들", "그리고-새-같이", "새-가", "새-같이", "새-도", "새-여", "새-처럼", "새가", "새의"]·PT["Como-pardal", "Como-pássaro", "Como-pássaros", "ave", "como-pássaro", "como-pássaro?", "e-como-ave", "e-como-os-pássaros", "o-pardal", "pássaro", "ó-pássaro"]·RU["Как-птицы", "и-как-птица", "и-как-птицы,", "как-на-птицу", "как-птица", "как-с-птицей", "птица", "птицы"]·ES["Como-gorrion", "Como-pájaro", "ave", "ave?", "como-ave", "como-aves", "como-pájaro", "pájaro", "y-como-ave", "y-como-los-pájaros"]·SW["Kama-ndege", "cha-ndege", "kama-ndege", "na-kama-ndege", "ndege"]·TR["Kuslar-gibi", "kuş", "kuş-gibi", "kuşun", "serçe", "ve-gibi-kuş", "ve-kuslar-gibi"]·urd["اور-جیسے-پرندہ", "اور-جیسے-پرندے", "جیسا-پرندہ", "جیسے-چڑیا", "پرندوں-کی-طرح", "پرندہ", "پرندے-کا", "پرندے-کی-طرح", "چڑیا", "گوریّا"]
2. bird (Levitical purification rite) — Split from sense 130507. Criteria: Two birds prescribed for skin-disease and house cleansing rituals (Lev 14:4-7, 49-53) 13×
AR["الْعُصْفُورَ", "الْعُصْفُورِ", "عُصْفُورَيْنِ", "وَ-بِ-الْعُصْفُورِ"]·ben["এবং-পাখিতে", "পাখি", "সেই-পাখি", "সেই-পাখির"]·DE["Voegel", "der-Vogel", "und-mit-der-Vogel"]·EN["and-with-the-bird", "birds", "the-bird"]·FR["et-avec-le-oiseau", "le-oiseau", "oiseaux"]·heb["ה-צפור", "ה-צפר", "ו-ב-ה-ובצפר", "צפרים"]·HI["और-को", "देवदार", "पक्षी"]·ID["Burung", "burung", "dan-dengan-burung"]·IT["e-con-il-uccello", "il-uccello", "uccelli"]·jav["lan-mawi-peksi", "peksi"]·KO["그리고-안에서-새로", "새를", "새의"]·PT["a-ave", "aves", "e-com-a-ave"]·RU["и-в-птице", "птиц", "птицу", "птицы"]·ES["el-pájaro", "pájaros", "y-con-el-pájaro"]·SW["Ndege", "na-kwa-ndege", "ndege"]·TR["kuş", "kuşu", "kuşun", "ve-kuşla"]·urd["اور-سے-چڑیے", "چڑیا", "چڑیاں", "چڑیے", "چڑیے-کے"]
3. birds / winged creatures (generic collective) — Split from sense 130507. Criteria: Generic zoological category in creation-type lists (Gen 7:14; Deut 4:17; 14:11) 12×
AR["الطَّيْرَ", "الطَّيْرِ", "الطُّيورُ", "طَائِرٍ", "طَيْرٍ", "طَيْرَ", "عُصْفُورٍ", "لِطَيْرِ", "هَ-صِّفُّور", "وَ-طُيورٌ", "وَطَيْرُ"]·ben["-পাখিগুলি", "এবং-পাখি", "ও-পাখি", "পাখি", "পাখিকে", "পাখির", "পাখিরা"]·DE["Vogel", "Vogel-", "[הצפור]", "[וצפרים]", "[לצפור]", "[צפור]", "die-Vögel", "und-Vogel"]·EN["and-bird-of", "and-birds", "bird", "bird-of", "birds", "birds-of", "prey", "the-bird", "to-bird-of"]·FR["[וצפרים]", "et-oiseau", "le-oiseau", "oiseau"]·heb["ה-ציפור", "ה-צפר", "ו-ציפור", "ו-צפרים", "ל-ציפור", "ציפור", "ציפורים", "צפור"]·HI["और-पक्षी", "के-लिए-पक्षी", "चिड़िया-के", "चिदिया", "पंछी", "पकशि", "पक्षी", "पक्षी-का"]·ID["Burung", "burung", "burung-burung", "burung-itu", "dan-burung", "dan-burung-burung", "kepada-burung", "unggas"]·IT["[וצפרים]", "[לצפור]", "[צפור]", "e-uccello", "il-uccello", "uccello"]·jav["Peksi", "dhateng-peksi", "lan-manuk", "lan-peksi", "manuk", "peksi", "peksi-peksi"]·KO["그리고-새들이", "그리고-새이", "새", "새-", "새-그의", "새-들-이", "새-에게", "새-와", "새가", "새는", "새의"]·PT["As-aves", "a-ave", "a-pássaro-de", "ave", "ave-de-", "e-aves", "o-pássaro", "os-pássaros", "pássaro", "pássaro-de"]·RU["-птицу", "-птицы", "и-птицы", "птаха", "птиц", "птица-", "птице", "птицу", "птицы", "птицы,"]·ES["Ave-de", "a-pájaro", "ave", "el-ave", "el-pájaro", "pájaro", "pájaros", "y-ave-de", "y-aves"]·SW["Ndege-wa", "na-ndege", "ndege", "ndege-wala-nyama", "ndege-wote", "yeyote"]·TR["-kuşları", "her", "kusun", "kuş", "kuşa", "kuşlar", "kuşu", "ve-kuş", "ve-kuşlar"]·urd["اور-پرندے", "اور-پرندے-والو", "پرندہ", "پرندے", "چڑیا", "چڑیا-کی", "ہر-پرندے-کو"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. צִפּוֹר, צִפֹּר n.f. Am 3:5 (m. ψ 102:8, cf. KöSynt.§ 252 a, so 104:17, yet cf. AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 71), bird;—abs. צִפּוֹר Ho 11:11 + 15 times, צִפֹּר Gn 15:10 + 11 times, cstr. צִפּוֹר Dt 4:17 + 5 times, צִפֹּר ψ 8:9; pl. צִפֳּרִים Lv 14:4 + 5 times;— 1. single bird, Am 3:5; Ho 11:11 (sim.; ‖ יוֹנָה), La 3:52; Jb 40:29 ψ 102:8; 124:7 Pr 6:5; 7:23; 26:2; 27:8 (all sim.), Lv 14:5 + 10 times…